New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS): Former cricketers Madan Lal and Chetan Sharma on Sunday termed death of BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya a big loss to Indian cricket, adding that the 75-year-old was one of the finest administrators of the sport they have known.

"It is a big loss to Indian cricket. He was one of the finest cricket administrators I have known. We owe it to him for uplifting the status of Indian cricket to what it is today. He was a great manager of people," Lal, who was part of the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian team, told IANS.

"I did not have the opportunity of working with him much but am sad that he is no more. He had earned a lot of respect in the cricketing world across the globe."

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Dalmiya died in Kolkata's B.M. Birla Hospital Sunday night - three days after he was admitted there after complaining of chest pain.

Dalmiya's condition was described as stable on Saturday. Doctors attending to the 75-year-old said that he was responding to medicines and was in a steady condition, but added he would still be under constant monitoring.

"He was a great man. He was the man responsible for the upliftment of Indian cricket. From starting players’ pension, to their welfare to commercialisation of the sport, we owe a lot to Jaggu Da," Sharma, who is the first Indian bowler to bag an international hat-trick, told IANS.

"I remember him very well. I had played for Bengal for 5-6 years because of him and he was partly responsible for my selection in the Indian team also. If you were a good person then you could always rely that Jaggu da to help you. It is a great loss for the country."

Dalmiya was also a former International Cricket Council (ICC) president.